Ellen Page Comes Out As Gay During Human Rights Campaign Conference

arrives at the premiere of Fox Searchlight Pictures' "The East" presented by Piaget at ArcLight Hollywood on May 28, 2013 in Hollywood, California.

(Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

By: Annie Scaramuzzino

Last night, Ellen Page made a very brave move.

Not only did she reveal that she is gay, she made the announcement in front of hundreds of people during a live speech at the the Human Rights Campaign’s Time to THRIVE conference.

But Page’s coming out wasn’t for admiration or publicity. In fact, the reasons behind her decision were much more simple – she was “tired of hiding” and hoped that her honesty would inspire other young members of the LGBTQ community to embrace their true selves.

“I’m here today because I am gay and because maybe I can make a difference,” Page said (via The Hollywood Reporter.) “To help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility.”

“I am tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission,” she continued. “I suffered for years because I was scared to be out. My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered and my relationships suffered. And I’m standing here today, with all of you, on the other side of all that pain.”

The 26-year-old Canadian actress, who’s best known for her performances in movies such as Hard Candy, Juno, Inceptionand the X-Menfranchise, has long had to deal with rumors about her sexuality, even poking fun at it during a 2008 sketch on Saturday Night Live where she came out as a lesbian.

After the conference, Page took to Twitter to write, “Thank you @HRC and everyone for all the love and support,” though she has yet to make any further statements. Meanwhile, the internet has been flooded with kind words for the actress, both from her fans and from her fellow actors.

We are inspired by Ellen Page’s decision to come out and hope that others can find solace in her courage and in her honesty.

Watch her entire speech from the HRC conference below, and be sure to leave us with your thoughts in the comments section.